On Finding Nightingales in Human Voices Essay Example for Free

On Finding nightingales in Human Voices EssayAnne Finchs To the Nightingale is an ode to a Muse, which is represented by the nightingale. The poem is written in a series of rhyming couplets that provides it a singsong rhythm throughout, which is appropriate for its subject. When emphasizing the merits of be a nightingale, the speaker articulates the difficulties of beingness a human poet, subject to judgment by his critics. In To the Nightingale, though the narrator recognizes the significance of the nightingale and hitherto bestows upon it affirmative adjectives such as sweet and lofty titles like harbinger of spring (line 1), he knows the limitations of the bird as a poet. The first four lines point the admiration of the speaker for the nightingale. This moment I attend to praise (line 3) refers to the moment in which the nightingale will sing to announce the coming of spring. The speaker wishes to be as free with expressing himself, like the nightingale. As the line Free a s thine shall be my song (line 5) indicates, he believes that as a human being, his singing is more than restricted by his audience. On the other hand, the nightingale sings according to its nature, whether or non it pl exempts anyone.There is no fear of being ridiculed, or anxieties about not being praised. Moreover, the beauty of the nightingales singing is in its freedom Poets, wild as thee, were born/ Pleasing best when unconfined/ When to please is to the lowest degree designed/ Soothing but their cares to rest (lines 7-10). These four lines may also suggest that the speaker is hoping to experience the same unconfined performance. Indeed, if the nightingale is his muse, he is excite by its sheer autonomy and being true to itself. Some artists need their personal pain in order to produce depth of feeling.An artist who is experiencing problems enchantment composing sad ballads will create genuine emotion which will be felt by their audience Cares do unperturbed their though ts molest/ And still the unhappy poets breast, /Like thine, when best he sings, is placed against a thorn (lines 11-13). The three lines, however, may also signify the other way around that when at his best, a poet may experience loneliness brought by success. The next few lines incorporate gold as a metaphor for the beauty and the effect of the nightingales song, after praising the sweetness of it.Canst thou syllables refine/Melt a sense that shall retain/Still some spirit of the brain (lines 18-20). The oral communication refine and melt elucidate the worth of the nightingales song. It can create something equivalent to gold, which consequently leaves a mark in the listeners mind. The poem starts to change its tone by line 21. The speaker seems to expect more out of the nightingale, by asking it to change its note. He further commands let division shake thy throat (line 22), longing for the joyous varying and fluttering of the golden voice.At this point, the human poet, though s till admiring the singing bird, becomes aware of dissatisfy within himself. The lovely song may not have changed its tune for some other listener, but for the narrator it has in some way for he says cease then, prithee, cease thy tune (line 26). He even calls his muse trifler, or someone who takes nothing seriously by being a constant dreamer. loll thou sing till June (line 27), he asks. He previously tags the nightingale as a harbinger of spring. He then wonders if it will cover up its singing even when summer is near.It is as if the nightingale has been given an obligation to announce spring, and when that obligation has been fulfilled there is no need to keep on going. The speaker has started to question inspiration and leans toward practicality. The speaker believes that there is too big a difference between a nightingale and a human poet he has stopped dreaming about attempting to recreate the singing of a nightingale through human voice. Thus we poets that have speech/ Unli ke what the forests teach (lines 30-31). To ease this discouragement, he lifts the human advantage of being able to speak.If a fluent vein be shown/Thats transcendent to our own/ Criticize, reform, or preach/ Or elision what we cannot reach (lines 32-35). Nevertheless, he discerns what he is trying to do he can identify the human trait of disparaging a talent or a quality that he cannot achieve for himself. To the Nightingale explores the dilemma of exploring a dream and aiming to reach its zenith without any thought of its limitations and consequences, and of choosing practicality and realistic aspirations. The poem achieves a light, song-like rhythm which prevents it from being completely dreary even at its despondent but sensible end.